Ah third grade, the standard by which all rational discourse should be measured.

As blogging, and its shorter form (and attention span) social media siblings have become a primary form of communication in the 21st century, asynchronous adoption has given rise to odd little flare ups of attitude. People make discoveries in wave after wave as they reach level two, level three, the warp zones of interaction. They get excited, and then they make the leap: “No one is talking about [personal passion X]”, or “Why aren’t there more serious sites about [passionate topic of discussion Y]”. Of course someone is and there are. You need to join in.

But that flare of superiority masks the third grader within: what are the rules of the playground, who’s in charge and why wasn’t I invited to the party?

To that third grader I say: Golden. No one. You were and you are.

The discussion around theatre on the internet has drawn folks from all over the world and from every possible background. The only thing that the group has in common is enough drive to step out and voice their opinions.

You aren’t excluded, you just haven’t joined it yet.

Since the end of last fall there has been a palpable energy to this indie/storefront theatre discussion. A heat that has many looking to take real world next steps toward enacting change.

The digital printing press has emboldened the fringe to make up for the lack of attention paid to it by the paid media and now the grassroots is about to set the flyover on fire.

What do you want to change and how are you going to make it happen?
This isn’t about handouts.
This isn’t about begging for money.

It’s about getting your hands in the dirt and doing the work, doing the work where you’re at, and more likely than not doing it with the broad support of a group of folks in the same boat you are.

A long time theatre blogger, Travis is the Artistic Director of Cambiare Productions and a contributing writer to 2amTheatre.com. Travis holds a degree in Theatre (Secondary Education) from the University of New Hampshire and is currently posted in scenic St. Paul Minnesota..